Royals spoil Yanks' rally

Bombers fall on bad-hop hit in 10th after 3-run comeback to tie in 9th

Associated Press

Updated
9:48 pm EDT, Sunday, May 26, 2019

Kansas City

The Royals have been waiting to catch a few breaks. They got one Sunday.

Whit Merrifield got a fortunate hop on an RBI single in the 10th inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 8-7 despite blowing a six-run lead.

"I was saying 'Better lucky than good,' " Merrifield said. "It just worked out for us today. The hop went our way."

Merrifield hit a sharp, two-out grounder toward third baseman Gio Urshela with speedster Billy Hamilton at second. The ball skipped over the head of Urshela — considered a strong defender at the hot corner — giving Hamilton time to race home.

"I just pounded it right in the ground. It was a pretty poor swing, but I'll take it," Merrifield said.

Hamilton had walked against Jonathan Holder (3-2) and stolen second to set up the play.

Hunter Dozier and Jorge Soler homered on back-to-back pitches in the fifth inning and Martin Maldonado and Ryan O'Hearn also went long as Kansas City hit four home runs in a game for the first time this season. All four had multihit games, with Dozier matching a career high with four hits.

New York's Aaron Hicks tied it in the ninth with a two-run single off Ian Kennedy as the Yankees scored three runs, all with two outs, to make it 7-7.

New York Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier, right, avoids a collision with second baseman DJ LeMahieu as he catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield in the ninth inning during a baseball game Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. The Royals won 8-7 in 10 innings. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) less

New York Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier, right, avoids a collision with second baseman DJ LeMahieu as he catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield in the ninth inning during a baseball game ... more

Photo: Ed Zurga

Photo: Ed Zurga

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New York Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier, right, avoids a collision with second baseman DJ LeMahieu as he catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield in the ninth inning during a baseball game Sunday, May 26, 2019, in Kansas City, Mo. The Royals won 8-7 in 10 innings. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) less

New York Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier, right, avoids a collision with second baseman DJ LeMahieu as he catches a ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield in the ninth inning during a baseball game ... more

Photo: Ed Zurga

Royals spoil Yanks' rally

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Kevin McCarthy (2-1) threw a scoreless 10th to earn the win.

The Yankees' Domingo German, who leads the majors with nine wins. gave up a career-high seven runs on nine hits in five innings.

"This is definitely a bad day for me today," German said through a translator. "I couldn't command my pitches today. I missed on location and that's what happens when you miss on location."

In 11 innings against Kansas City this season, German has given up 10 runs and six homers, taking losses in both games. The 26-year-old has allowed 16 runs and three homers in 491/3 innings in his 10 other appearances, nine starts.

Danny Duffy pitched six innings, allowing four runs, one earned, and five hits. A throwing error by shortstop Adalberto Mondesi extended the Yankees' sixth inning, and Gleyber Torres hit a three-run shot to center two batters later.

After the Yankees took a 1-0 lead in the second, Maldonado belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning.

O'Hearn added a solo shot in the fourth.

Nestor Cortes Jr. threw four shutout innings in relief of German.

Trainer's room

Yankees: Lefty James Paxton (left knee inflammation) took pitcher's fielding practice and threw long toss Sunday and is likely to return to the rotation this week. ... Shortstop Didi Gregorius was the DH hitter for Class A Tampa, getting two hits, including a homer. ... Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) will resume throwing bullpens either Monday or Tuesday. ... Outfielder Aaron Judge (left oblique) told the YES Network he hopes to begin swinging a bat this week.